Advocate photographer shares Pelotonia ride

Advocate photographer Sara C. Tobias completes the 50 miles ride of Pelotonia at Bevelhymer Park in new Albany Saturday. Tobias is believed the be the first Advocate editorial staffer to ride in Pelotonia.
(Photo:
Henry S. Conte/Local Editor
)

I was sleepy, standing in a crowded pen of people and bikes waiting for my staging group to be told it was time to go. It was a little after 8 a.m., and 7,270 riders were on the roads Saturday to end cancer. It was finally Pelotonia weekend.

My first experience with Pelotonia was after moving to Licking County, specifically photographing the first year it passed through Granville for The Advocate.

While chatting with a volunteer along Broadway, I mentioned my father had been treated at the James Cancer Center. "You should ride next year," she told me.

At the time, I didn't own a bike and didn't really know how to ride. My knowledge of bike maintenance extended only as far as knowing you need to put air in the tires. But I felt I had a really good reason to want to ride and support The James.

I lost my father, also named James, to cancer in February 2006, during my freshman year of college. He was treated at the James Cancer Center for a month before passing away.

Up until that last month, my dad was able to remain fairly active throughout his years of treatment. He golfed, played tennis, traveled, worked and attended family events with some special consideration. For that, I am thankful.

A month after covering Pelotonia 2013, I bought a bike and thought: "Maybe, I'll ride in 2014."

Around Christmas, I floated the idea to my family. "You should ride," they all agreed.

After New Year's Day, I found myself studying the event website.

On Jan. 13, I realized there's really no debate here — I was going to ride, so I registered for the 50-mile.

In eight months, I learned how to shift gears, how to lean into a turn without falling, and how to ride in a group.

I took a perfectly good tire, deflated it, removed the wheel, removed the tube, replaced it and reinflated it, just for practice in my garage. When it rained, I cycled at the YMCA instead. I emailed friends and family asking for donations and joined a peloton, Team Granville, for extra support.

I love to overprepare, and this experience was no exception.

As I checked in at the opening ceremonies I tried to soak in all the excitement around me. I ate as much of the amazing food as I could, and as promised by everyone I know who has ever attended the opening ceremonies, I cried a little.

I knew that everyone there had been touched by cancer in some way, and we were all just so tired of it. Along with my Team Granville cycling jersey, I wore a necklace my dad gave me with his wedding ring on it.

Before bed, I put the necklace, along with a photo of a friend undergoing treatment and a pin from my co-worker's father, in my handlebar bag where I was able to see it while riding. There are many people who battle cancer; those were the three I carried with me on my ride.

I tried to go to bed early, but really, I was too nervous.

At the start of the route, I was not surprised to see people lining the streets to cheer, but even as we left downtown Columbus, we didn't go far without seeing people. Shouts of encouragement came from porches, parking lots and cars stopped at intersections.

"Thank you for riding!" I heard constantly, when really it was we who should have been thanking them. If you came out to cheer for riders, know that your support kept people peddling.

Besides the support of spectators, the riders all supported each other. Pelotonia is not a race; it's about working together, to ride and to fundraise, all with the goal of ending cancer.

Cyclists occasionally pull over for mechanical problems, or to stretch, rehydrate and give their legs a break. Every rider passing made sure to check whether they were OK and to offer encouragement to keep going.

We are all in this together.

After 25 miles, I stopped for the first time. I refilled my water bottle, ate the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich of my life, and joined up with some teammates whom I lost earlier to ride together for a bit.

I stopped at the next rest area at Licking Heights — largely to stretch and text my fiance Brian my location. The next 12 miles flew past as my excitement mounted to get to the finish and celebrate making it to New Albany.

As I neared Bevelhymer Park, the crowds increased. I passed through the finish, and hundreds of strangers cheered as I smiled back. As I scanned for Brian, suddenly to my left I heard a loud crescendo as I passed and shouts of my name. Several co-workers and friends lined the road equipped with cowbells and signs as I cruised past them.

I turned around to greet my friends. I was tired and sweaty, but no one seemed to mind as we hugged and posed for photos. I felt accomplished, tired, hungry and, more than anything, grateful.

My first ride for Pelotonia was done.

I might not have been fast, but I finished. There are more people to thank than I have space. But after my first year, I know one thing for sure: I'll be back next year for Pelotonia 2015.